Silera
The Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls, also known as Silera, is an ancient theocratic interplanetary state, notable for the proficiency of its genetic engineers and long periods of isolation from the rest of the galaxy. The planet Simenalde is the de facto capital of Silera, and also holds most of the state's population. Although ethnic minorities do exist within Silera's territory, the citizenry itself is mostly comprised of a species known as the Simari .' Government The Starlit Lyrics, the text written in 204912 BF that founded the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls as we know it, established a complex form of direct demoracy as the form of government of the ancient state, but only recently were such commandments fully applied in the nation's entire political system. Every Simari older than fifteen, regardless of his or her species, can vote on every piece of Simari policy through the Golden Mist system, similar to the human Internet, which manages to keep the process simple and speedy thanks to quantum computing. Anyone can propose legislation, and it is up to the Naurel Kersa, the Blessed Guardians, to enforce new laws. This form government is called the Nerisa Iluxine, the Sovereign Will, and the Starlit Lyrics act as a strict constitutional basis for all policy. This means that the majority does not necessarily have the power to arbitrarily impose its will on the entire community, and the only case of a majority of voters ever attempting to violate the principles laid out by the Starlit Lyrics ended with the exile of the man who drafted the offending legislation. The same system is applied on a local level: the population of a city in Simenalde or a colony in another planet can vote on its legislation, with no fear of interference from outside. The ancient religious aristocracy that once ruled over the entire Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls still holds much prestige, but little actual power in matters of policy and administration. History Origins The concept of Silera first appeared, over eight hundred thousand years ago, within a myth belonging to the long extinct civilization known as the Santhers. It was said to be a 'spiritual sanctuary', parallel to our own Universe, where the souls of all children of the dead goddess Keryel could find blissful harmony, far away from the chaotic life of Simenalde. The Santhers mentioned a people known as the Vilkae as the original discoverers of Silera, but offered not much more information on them. The Santhers were the first known civilized species to have evolved in Simenalde, but soon many more followed, and when the Santhers mysteriously vanished, approximately seven hundred thousand years ago, several other civilizations were quick to embrace Santher mythology as their own, and soon the concept of Silera began to evolve alongside Simenalde's civilizations. Soon, the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls had become a real nation, Simenalde's greatest theocratic state, and the very center of all of Simenalde's cultures and history. As civilization after civilization took the name of Silera as their own, a noticeable pattern began to form in their development: the dominant culture would adopt a lesser one, or create one through primitive forms of social engineering, only to then be exterminated by this vassal culture. The reasons for the creation of these vassal cultures varied with each different form of Silera. Some were made to be the slaves, while others were chosen to be the successors of the rulers. In the end, however, the results would always be the same, and civilization after civilization vanished, either exterminated in war or bloodlessly replaced by the more fertile vassals. These processes were eventually referred to by Silera's clergy as 'rebirths'. The Visine Silera By the time the Visine, a species remarkable for their naturalism and penchant for genetic engineering, took their predecessors' place as the people of the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls, at least five civilizations that had proclaimed themselves Silera had already perished. The religious state had developed spaceflight and nuclear power, while the rest of Simenalde's species were only just discovering gunpowder. In their own eyes, the Visine's Silera was not merely a nation in the traditional sense, but an actual divine entity born from the unity and devotion of its inhabitants, a truly holy state of immense power. Other nations on Simenalde's surface lived in constant fear, knowing full well that, unlike them, the Visine were powerful enough to control the natural world. While some Visine did sometimes rebel against Silera's clergy, wars were uncommon under the rule of the Visine, who had a rather pacifist philosophy. Four hundred millennia ago, the Visine made first contact with the Tsintic Union. Though the Visine's ruling classes were fascinated by the Tsintic and the many other species inhabiting the galaxy, they refused the Tsintic's technological gifts and chose to refrain from any further dealings with other states for the following two hundred years. Only after they had developed their own FTL technology did the Visine accept integrating themselves into galactic society, quickly colonizing several neighbouring systems and establishing trade routes with other states. The Visine's growing empire made a name for itself with their groundbreaking advances in genetic engineering. Believing that the goddess Keryel's commanded them to understand and subvert the cruel natural world in which they had been born, the Visine set out to explore as much of the galaxy as they could, collecting information and samples from countless species in countless worlds. When they had finally amassed enough knowledge, Silera's explorers retreated back to their homeworld and began to work on 'perfecting' the species they had studied. Whereas the Tsintic Union provided the fledgeling species of the galaxy with technological gifts so as to 'uplift' them, the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls took a radically different and far less altruistic approach: rather than advancing more primitive civilizations, the Visine simply used the samples they had acquired from them to re-create the galaxy's species in new, perfected forms. They created clones of other species, provided them with stronger immune systems, more resilient endo or exoskeletons, more adaptable breathing organs, or more functional brains, and then released them in their native enviroment. The Visine's method of 'uplifting', inspired by a perceived duty to subvert nature, had severe consequences in most cases. The 'perfected' life forms either became outcasts or (wittingly or unwittingly) inflicted genocide upon the original species, and the galactic outrage caused by the Visine's behavior only served to fuel the ruling class' obsessions. When neighbouring interplanetary states formed a coalition to isolate Silera and punish its government for its transgressions, the Visine responded with ruthless determination, sneaking biological weapons into their enemies' homeworlds and completely separating themselves from the rest of the galaxy for thousands of years. The Creation of the Simari It was during their long self-imposed seclusion that the Visine, inspired by their previous attempts at 'perfecting' other species, created the peculiar Simari, using the traits of countless species from all over the galaxy as the basis for their design. With short lifespans and no cultural background of their own, the new species were designed to serve as the Visine's perfect vassals, thus eliminating the need for foreign slaves and bringing a cultural renaissance to the stagnant Visine civilization. The Visine government's expectations, however, were soon confronted with a rather curious reality. The Visine citizenry was less than enthusiastic about these exotic creatures their rulers had introduced into their otherwise homogeneous society. Even without centuries of history to induce so, the Simari soon developed their own customs and beliefs, far too different in philosophy and practice from the Visine's to be integrated harmoniously. Whereas the Visine were secretive and self-absorbed to the point of bigotry, the Simari were fascinated by outer space and eager to embrace galactic multiculturalism, thus earning them the name of 'Simari', which meant 'star-lover'. The Simari yearned for far more liberty and far more equality than the Visine's restrictive oligarchic structure would have allowed, and they outright rejected social and economic competition. In time, the Visine's creations even developed their own unique mythology. As countless millennia went by and the Visine government continued to fail in its efforts to assimilate the Simari, the Visine citizenry became increasingly paranoid and disdainful towards their rebellious slaves. The Simari themselves slowly but surely became disillusioned with their creators, whom the younger species had once seen as divine and infinitely benevolent in nature. The schism between the two species grew, and even when many Simari managed to reach respectable positions in Visine society, whispers of genocide eventually arose in the highest circles of Silera's religious oligarchy. The straw that broke the camel's back, as humans would say, came in the year 213002 BF. The Seventh Rebirth Veirnaen, the first Simari to be proclaimed Calesti, one of the most prestigious positions in the Lumirian clergy, was lynched by a mob of Visine during his initial tour of Silera's colonies in other planets. Allegations that the brutal murder of the beloved figure had been staged by Visine aristocrats only fanned the flames of interspecies tension, and the social and political climate in Simenalde quickly deteriorated. Riots broke out in Admorien, the continent where most Simari resided, and the Visine's heavy handed repression quickly sparked a hundred more across not only Silera's territory, but that of all Visine and non-Visine nations in Simenalde. Rumors that the Visine government was secretly planning to use biological warfare to exterminate the Simari soon reached the ears of the Simari community, spreading extreme paranoia through the entire species. Fueled by the fear of extinction and the grief of losing one of their most admired members, the Simari community launched a preemptive strike on their creators. After stealing ships of the Visine fleet, a militia of several million Simari attempted to capture the Leirkev, Silera's most precious ship. The first battle of the Seventh Rebirth ended in a resounding defeat for the Simari, and the Visine's technological and numerical superiority gave them an initial edge over their former vassals, earning them many early victories against the insurrection and exterminating most Simari in Visine cities. The tide turned quite fast, however, after the war came to Admorien. The Simari transformed their genocide into a war of attrition, using their knowledge of the continent's wilderness and what they had learned from Visine genetic engineers to turn their homeland into a living fortress. It did not take long for the Visine to realize the error in their judgement when their own biological attacks were brutally countered by the Simari. Their own creations had developed the Snowblood Plague, a devastating viral disease tailored to Visine, and their sleeper agents in the main Visine cities promptly released it upon the entire civilian population. In a matter of years, half of Simenalde's Visine were either dead or dying while the Simari began a bloodthirsty rampage throughout the Visine countryside, exacting a brutal revenge for the deaths of billions of innocent Simari slaves. The Seventh Rebirth raged on for over ten thousand years, the Visine desperately holding onto their territory while the rest of Simenalde's nations stayed in the sidelines. It became a war of attrition, with the Visine's orbital strikes and biological attacks becoming increasingly ineffective against an enemy that was swiftly adapting to every new tactic or piece of technology they introduced. By the time that the government requested the assistance of their colonies in other systems, the capital of the Visine's Silera had been destroyed by a Simari gravitational compressor and the temple of Iviriana had been captured and its Visine clergy replaced by Simari equivalents. When reinforcements finally came from the colonies, the war for Simenalde was as good as finished, and the colonial armies' attempts to reclaim the homeworld failed miserably. With Silera's central government in disarray and the Visine left in the galaxy numbering in the few hundreds of millions, the siege of Simenalde became a disorderly, never ending series of biological exchanges and quantum strikes that would last many centuries. Its duration was only increased by the Simari community's lack of decision on the path to follow in the war, as the question of their future, and that of their creators, deeply divided them. Hope for a reconciliation with their creators persisted amongst many Simari, but resentment was still strong, and voices calling for the annihilation of all Visine were nowhere near few. A consensus was finally reached in the year 205688 BF, when the Simari community unanimously voted to take the name of Silera as their own and eliminate all traces of the Visine's rule. The decision was, in practical terms, an official declaration of the community's desire to inflict genocide upon their creators, and thus fully liberate themselves from what they perceived as an 'unnatural' way of life. This event was the beginning of the end for the Visine's Silera. Six hundred years later, the final battle of the Seventh Rebirth took place, on the very edge of the galaxy, where the Visine took their last stand against their Simari. Despite the massive casualties suffered and the undesired damage caused to the Leirkev, the Simari were finally victorious, bringing an end to a mighty galactic empire that had lasted for over four hundred thousand years and bringing about a new age for the entire sector of the galaxy that had once been occupied by the Visine. But while it marked the end of what had seemed to be an endless war, the death of the Visine civilization was still a traumatic event for the entire Simari civilization. Once the chaotic combination of fear and rage had subsided in their hearts, the children of the Visine found themselves overwhelmed by guilt. In the years that followed the battle for the Leirkev, millions of Simari committed suicide, and the temple of Iviriana was turned into a symbolical mausoleum for the Simari's 'misguided yet beloved parents'. The Simari Silera The new Sacred Realm of Colorful Soul was formally established with the first drafting of the Starlit Lyrics, in 204912 BF, which served as the foundational text for the most unique incarnation yet of one of the most ancient and powerful states in galactic history. Under the rule of the Simari's direct democracy, Silera was subjected to extensive reforms, the borders were re-opened to explorers from other systems, and the nation's relationships with Simenalde's other species were rekindled. Philosophies changed, and what had once been a ruthless and reckless quest for biological perfection was transformed into an almost excessively altruistic appreciation for life in all it forms. For almost one hundred and forty-seven thousand years, the Simari's Silera existed in complete harmony, both with other species in Simenalde and with the rest of the galaxy. As Simari envoys explored the galaxy from which the Visine had isolated themselves, a cultural renaissance came with their exploits. As diplomatic relations were re-established with other interplanetary states, Simenalde was flooded with foreign art and philosophy, and the Simari eagerly shared some of the products of their genetic engineering with other nations. It was a time of unprecedented peace, and the Simari took this opportunity to colonize many new worlds. The Simari-Norumian War The peace, however, came to a staggering end in the year 58441 BF, when the extremely predatory Norumians, one of Simenalde's most prosper sapient species, declared war upon their neighbours. With fearsome determination and equally staggering cunning, the Norumians blindsided the Simari's military and drove their far less violent genetic cousins, the Verusians, to the brink of extinction. Well acquainted with the Simari's tactics and weaponry, the Norumians were practically unscathed by the Simari's counterattacks, comprised mostly of biological and guerrilla warfare. Of Simenalde's seven continents, three fell in only a few decades, despite the courageous resistance put up by the nomadic Durnen. When the Simari-Norumian War devolved into a war of attrition, the Norumians unleashed their nuclear arsenal upon their foes. Though the Simari themselves suffered few losses in that regard, the Durnen were not as fortunate, being completely wiped off the face of Simenalde, while their homeland was turned into a radioactive wasteland. Although, even with their ruthlessness, the Norumians were ultimately no match for the far more advanced Simari, the war itself took many centuries to end. The marine Norumians took full advantage of their oceanic origins and the Simari's lack of military hierarchies, and Silera's final offensive into Norumian territory left behind millions of casualties and, after the Simari finally decided to poison the seas in which the Norumians were hiding, the greatest enviromental disaster in Simenalde's history. A truce was finally reached between the Simari and the Norumians in 56603 BF, but the damage had already been done. Of Simenalde's four sapient species, three were now on the brink of extinction, and the ecosystem in many regions had been damaged beyond repair. The last remaining Norumians, Verusians and Durnen were placed in zealously guarded reserves, and the Simari community, believing that the length of the war had been due to their own inadequate response and resources, voted for profound reforms and an increased militarization. The years following the end of the Simari-Norumian War were marked by increasing tensions between the Simari community and the expansionist clergy. Seeking to prevent the situation from devolving into a new Rebirth, and hoping to also stop any attempts by the clergy to apply the Visine's method of 'uplifting', the community passed, in the year 29841 BF, the Poem for the Purity of Souls, an extensive series of laws aimed at restricting the Simari community's actions outside of Silera's borders as well as cultural exchanges with foreign species. While it did not fully isolate Silera from the rest of the galaxy, the Poem for the Purity of Souls placed a heavy strain on Silera's relationship with the Tsintic Union, in times when the majority of the Simari community was willing to assist the Tsintic in uplifting more primitive species. The Rise of the Golden Empire The rise of the Golden Empire and its first contact with the Tsintic Union found a Simari community that was stable and prosperous, yet also severely distrustful of outsiders. They had reached the apex of their scientific progress, developing technologies that far surpassed that of every single one of their predecessors, and amassing enough knowledge of the Universe to begin to consider the possibility of visiting other galaxies. The first actual contact between the Golden Empire and Silera took place in the year 3655 BF, when UNISEC envoys landed on Simenalde without the Simari community's permission. Though their arrival was a violation of the Poem for the Purity of Souls, a crime punishable by permanent diplomatic exclusion, the Simari still courteously greeted the latest nation to join galactic society, but refrained from offering them any trade or gifts. The event ended with no incidents, but the Simari remained distrustful towards the Golden Empire and its corporations. The Tsintic Union's decision to uplift the Golden Empire was met with strong protests from the Simari community, the consensus being that it was a reckless move on the Tsintic's side, and that it endangered galactic stability. Their protests ignored, Silera withdrew from the galactic community once more, severing all ties with foreign powers and threatening anyone who attempted to contact them with extermination. When the Golden Empire began its offensive in 3000 BF, the Simari community's response was confused at best. Being so isolated from the galaxy, they knew little of what was actually taking place outside their borders, and their own Poem for the Purity of Souls prevented them of doing much, other than sending token forces of explorers to gather intelligence and offering assylum to non-Simari refugees in Silera's colonies through slavery. As it became clear that the Golden Empire intended to conquer the entire galaxy, the Simari community fully overhauled Simenalde's defenses and sent their most valuable relics and documents to the Leirkev, while a handful of spies donated biological and quantum weaponry to the surrounding interplanetary states, turning their neighbours into a de facto first line of defense in the face of a potential invasion by the Golden Empire. In 2444 BF, the Golden Empire, having conquered most of the galaxy and threatened the Tstintic into non-interventionism, sent the Simari community an ultimatum. If they did not hand their colonies and their technology over to the Golden Empire, they would invade. The Simari's response was shockingly blunt: "Then we are at war." Yet it seemed, for a long time, that the promised war would never come. The Simari prepared themselves for the worst scenarios imaginable, but asides from small hit-and-run operations in their outer colonies, there were no signs of the Golden Empire preparing to attempt invasion. Centuries passed, and safe for some minor contact with the Tsintic Union, only silence seemed to reign outside Silera's borders. The Golden War War finally came in the year 1487 BF, with a massive surprise attack on the colony of Sirimea. A fleet comprised of ten dreadnoughts, and six times as many cruisers, frigates and destroyers, struck the heavily militarized planet and humilliatingly defeated the Simari fleet stationed there. Unprepared for the sheer firepower and cunning tactics of the humans, the defenses on the planet's surface crumbled, and the Simari were forced to resort to guerrilla tactics for the duration of the Golden Empire's occupation. With Sirimea cut off from the rest of the Simari systems, the bulk of the Golden Empire's forces moved towards Simenalde, intent on repeating their first great victory. However, the defense with which Simari homeworld greeted them was far more resourceful and far better organized than Sirimea's. Attempts to bomb the main population centers on the planet's surface were continuously intercepted with zero-point energy barriers, and the first waves of human troops to land on the less urbanized areas died mere seconds after arriving, killed by the Simari's expertly crafted diseases and domesticated wild beasts. It did not take long for the commanding officers of the Golden Empire's forces to realize that the Simari were forcing their invaders into a war of attrition. They were provoking the Golden Empire to send in more and more ships and troops, only to then easily obliterate them with their quantum technology and genetic engineering. The Simari's defense of Sirimea had been purposefully incompetent, and they were now holding themselves back in their own homeworld, hoping to bleed the Golden Empire dry. The High Council, however, wanted results, and they wanted them fast. No expenses were to be spared, specially against a species like the Simari. More fources poured into the Velphera system as casualties continued to grow, and the desperation of the Golden Empire's officers to bring this war to an end began to show. When Simari civilians began to be massacred by human troops as a form of psychological warfare, it had the exact opposite of the desired effect. Instead of demoralizing them, the atrocities only served to enrage the Simari community, which responded with terrorist attacks in human colonies and a brutal counter-offensive by the regrouped Simari fleet. By 1505 BF, all forces on Simenalde's surface had been annihilated, and the Golden Empire's fleet operating in the system had had its retreat cut off by the Simari fleet. A carefully coordinated series of attacks managed to eradicate every single human ship in the Velphera system, and in a matter of months Sirimea was liberated as well. Plans were made by the High Council for a second invasion, but their hopes of ending this war with the Golden Empire's dignity intact perished when the Simari community sent them an ultimatum. Should the Golden Empire send another force into Silera's space, the Simari would use their biological weapons against the most heavily populated human planets. As a demonstration, Simari spies released a variety of viruses in human colonies in the far rim of the galaxy, killing millions. From then onwards, the Simari remained on the sidelines, their conflict with the Golden Empire becoming a cold war of sorts. The Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls occasionally assisted the Tsintic Union with valuable intel, whereas their only direct contact with all other species came in the form of espionage and covert operations. When the Tsintic performed the rite of revocation, leaving the Golden Empire and what few independent states remained vulnerable, the Simari took it upon themselves to cleanse their region of the galaxy of all the remains of the Golden Empire. Reinvigorated and ruthless, the Golden Empire's remaining forces near Silera were exterminated, and all human colonists were either expelled or taken in as slaves. The Fall of the Golden Empire The chaos that came with the slow, but ultimately unstoppable collapse of the Golden Empire did not catch the Simari unprepared. Even as they were forced to abandon most of the space they had taken from the agonizing human empire by pirates and rogue states, the Simari prevailed. When it became clear that they would have no choice but to wait for the galaxy to be relatively peaceful again, the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls chose, yet again, the path of seclusion. Tired from the war, the Simari were happy to embrace the comfort of their home and prepare for a new era, on in which they would most certainly have the responsibility of preserving order and further the progress of their fellow species. Nonetheless, as they awaited the end of the Longest Night, the Simari were forced to endure one final ordeal: the Eighth Rebirth. The Eighth Rebirth Ever since the very beginning of the their rule over Silera, the Simari community had been one where seemingly opposite concepts could often coexist with a modicum of harmony. For most of Simari history, that had been the case in the relationship between their clergy and the direct democracy by which the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls governed itself. In the year 1383 AF, this began to change. In the days of the Santhers, there had always been three types of clergy: *The Iluri, the Ones Who Teach the Arts of the Goddess *The Alari, the Ones Who Know the Scent of the Stars' Blossoms *The Calesti, the Ones Who Hear the Whispers of the Vilkae The Iluri had been abolished during the Seventh Rebirth, yet the Alari and the Calesti had continued to exist as indispensable parts of the Lumirian faith. Although the Starlit Lyrics granted them no political powers, both parts of the clergy were perceived as a necessary continuation of the legacy of the original founders of Silera. Simari born with eye and hair albinism were chosen to serve as Alari, while those born with eye and hair melanism became Calesti, and in both cases they were to be educated through their childhoods to become the spiritual counselors to their fellow Simari. As time had gone by, substantial differences had arisen between the Alari and the Calesti. Since the extent of their duties and the rules binding them demanded it, most Alari lived relatively aristocratic lifestyles in Silera's largest population centers, enjoying many luxuries and often serving as representatives of the entire Simari community before other species. Many owned entire harems of slaves, as well as their own spacecrafts. In time, the Alari had organized themselves in a patriarchal fashion, with the Nuarvan family being the most prestigious family of Alari. The Calesti, on the other hand, spent most of their lives in the temple of Iviriana or on board the Leirkev, spending their days in solitary meditation, writing philosophy or conducting research aimed solely at furthering the cause of Lumirianism. Though they oftened enjoyed many luxuries, they never came even remotely close to reaching the Alari's extravagance. Few Calesti owned slaves, and the decision to have a lifelong lover was often postponed until their twilight years. After the end of the Longest Night, and as Silera slowly began to open itself up to other species once more, the Alari families began to amass an increasing amount of political power, using their position to influence the votes of the community. Conflicts between families broke out, and alliances out of political convenience became more and more common in the largest cities in Simenalde. By the time the first few whispers of plans to repeal the Starlit Lyrics came, the Alari were the unofficial political leaders of millions of Simari. Both within and outside the Alari oligarchy, many factions sprung up, and the Naurel Kersa began to prepare itself for a suspected coup or civil war. The fears of those who distrusted the Alari were confirmed in 1383 AF, when Maerna Nuarvan called for a vote to repeal the Starlit Lyrics, arguing that the chaotic state of affairs in the galaxy demanded a thorough political reform and a change in Simari foreign policy. Despite the harsh criticisms leveled at the Nuarvan patriarch's rationale, the results were overwhelmingly in favor of the repeal. The news of this event inspired outrage throughout Simenalde, and the Naurel Kersa accused Maerna Nuarvan of fraud and abuse of power. The Calesti themselves released a scathing statement against the course of action taken by their Alari brothers and sisters, calling the repeal an 'unforgivable sin' and begging the Simari community to resist this reform. In a turn of events that were eerily reminiscent of the Seventh Rebirth, several Calesti were imprisoned by members of the Naurel Kersa loyal to the Nuarvan family, and millions of Simari took to the streets in protest. When an investigation by the Naurel Kersa proved that Maerna Nuarvan had committed fraud, hacking the Golden Mist system to manipulate the votes of billions of Simari, the protests became full-blown riots. Fimasera, the city where the Nuarvan family itself resided, took the worst of it, and when the Naurel Kersa officially declared its intent to trial Maerna Nuarvan for his crimes, the conflict between Alari and Calesti loyalists quickly turned into a civil war. Without a consensus to abide by, the Rista Nervea abandoned the Velphera system, refusing to side with any of the warring factions, while the Vira Mirena and the Naurel Kersa were torn apart from within. Without the firepower of the Rista Nervea or an enemy that could be easily eliminated through biological warfare, both sides of the civil war that came to be known as the Eighth Rebirth had only their own manpower and small arms as their resources. The Eighth Rebirth lasted fourteen years, and it ended with the surrender of the Alari loyalists. The Nuarvan family fell from grace, and the Alari were no longer recognized as a part of the Lumirian faith, although albino Simari were still integrated into the clergy as Nirise, a form of warrior monks that often served alongside common soldiers in the Vira Mirena and the Rista Nervea. Political stability was restored, but not before the Naurel Kersa overhauled their system of checks and balances to prevent any more incidents. In the end, the Eighth Rebirth served only to perfect the Simari ideal of Silera, cementing their philosophy throughout both the political and the religious spectrum and finally letting go of the more 'obsolete' customs inherited from their predecessors. National Traits National Perks Precursor Race Precursor races are those who have seen stars die, and born again, so ancient are they. These are super-advanced races whose technology makes those of lesser races look like mere toys. They have the benefit of either wisdom beyond the ages, or simply the sheer strength of arms to have survived the eons to this day and age. This is not to say they are without flaw, however, for many times will their hubris cloud them to the lesser races, and this mistake has happened once before when an elder race uplifted a tiny nation of humans that became the Golden Empire. Deus ex Machina No other species in the galaxy could ever claim to be as proficient in the realms of quantum physics and genetic engineering as the millions of scientists and engineers that have proudly served Silera over the millennia. If it is quantum-based technology or genetic modifications, the Simari are likely to have already discovered it, developed it, improved on it, weaponized it and mass-produced it. The few Silerian inventions that have reached the ears of foreign leaders are as awe-inspiring as they are frightening, and even the greatest galactic powers fear what this secretive theocracy might be hiding. In short, Simari have effectively achieved divinity through scientific progress. E pluribus unum There is a strong sense of community and civic duty in Simari society, and it is doubtful any Simari man, woman or child would hesitate before bravely joining the fight against any threat or obstacle alongside their fellow Simari. Against their foes, the Simari are one huge, tightly-knit team, each dutifully fulfilling his or her role, ready to give his or her life for the Sacred Realm of Colorful souls. A single Simari is nothing, but with his brothers and sisters he can be an unstoppable force of nature. None shall pass In all of Silera's long history, only once did the ancient state lose a planet to foreign occupation, and not once has a foreign army managed to successfully occupy any stretch of Simenalde's surface. Despite many strategic and tactical disadvantages, the Simari have continuously proven themselves masters of planetary defense, more than enough to keep most invaders at bay. With an insidiously complex and efficient defense-oriented infraestructure and well-armed and well-trained militias, Simenalde and other Silerian planets have often been dubbed "the untouchables". National Flaws No kings While most, if not all Simari would be more than willing to die for anyone in their community, few Simari, if any, would willingly serve under another man's authority. They are a proud and rebellious people, they see virtue in egalitarianism and reject any form of elitism. To submit to a single individual's will would be seen as forsaking one's own dignity, as well as one's duties towards the community. Simari have proven themselves more than capable of coordinating their entire population in times of crisis or war, but the lack of a hierarchy within which critical decisions can be swiftly made by a qualified leadership means that those involved in military operations, while thoroughly planning beforehand, would find it difficult to adapt to sudden changes in their circumstances. On our own Simari are a broad-minded and innovative people, but only within their own community. They have a hard time trusting strangers or adopting foreign ideas or technology, and other species have found it difficult to comprehend the intricacies of Simari thought. The continued existence of slavery in Silera has put a severe strain on its relationship with other states. Friendly relations with other nations were rare before, even more so after the Golden Empire, and any sort of alliance with a foreign power would be downright impossible without, at the very least, a few years of "cultural accommodation". Possessions Velphera System Simenalde, the Everlasting Green Gemstone The Simari homeworld and de facto capital of Silera, Simenalde is a surprisingly warm and humid world. It doubles the size of Earth, and is teeming with life despite resting on the cold side of the habitable zone of its system, far from its giant blue star. Simenalde is orbited by four moons, two of which are frozen wastelands, while the other two are mildly cold and highly radioactive deserts. Seventy percent of the planet's surface is comprised of green-tinted seas, and five of its seven continents are covered by thick and vibrant rainforests and grasslands. Simenalde's generally tropical climate is due to its unusually warm core and its greenhouse of an atmosphere, rich in hydrogen, carbon dioxide and oxigen. Though its natural conditions might make the planet seem like the perfect place for colonization by foreign species, the local ecosystem is not nearly as friendly as the weather. Most plants and animals, even those that are not predatory, are either poisonous or filled to the brim with horrifying viruses and bacteria to which they themselves have become immune. Life in Simenalde evolves on a daily basis, swiftly adapting to its tenaciously aggressive enviroment. Simenalde is one of the most heavily populated planets in the galaxy, but few large urban centers can be seen from space, and the biggest structure in the planet is the ancient temple known of Iviriana, the Golden Flower of Hope, which also serves as the capital of Silera. The largest and oldest city in Simenalde is Fimasera, the White Glass Tree, and it holds fifty million inhabitants. The rest of Simenalde's twenty-four billion inhabitants are scattered throughout both land and sea, most living in isolated and moderately sized cities in the cooler shores, while the more traditional minority has chosen to remain in small colonies in the depths of the rainforests and massive submarine stations rather than indulge in the hectic urban lifestyle. Planetary resources are abundant, especially the otherwise rare material called lipherium, which is used by scientists as raw material for quantum-biological augmentations. Sustainable development seems to be the law of the land, with low pollution levels and little to no deforestation. Leirkev, the White Prince of the Stars Originally built by the Visine over the course of hundreds of years, the Leirkev is the culmination of one of the most ancient dreams of Lumirianism: building an ark of sorts that could preserve all of Simenalde's art, knowledge and biological diversity. Thousands of miles in length, the Leirkev was heavily armed but never actually deployed in active combat, the Visine considering the ship to be far too important to risk any damage, and its firepower too massive to be used against any foe, even as a last resort. For most of its early history, the Leirkev dwelled in dark space, isolated from galactic civilization and guarded by a handful of Visine priests. The Leirkev was at the center of the first and final battles of the Seventh Rebirth, the Visine valiantly fending off the Simari's attempts to conquer the most strategically and symbolically valuable asset in the entire Sacred Real of Colorful Souls. The Visine's last stand took place on board of this ship, and it was brought to a gruesome end when the Simari, tired after three centuries of war, unleashed their entire quantum arsenal upon the Leirkev. The ship was torn in half, and its four million crew members, the last Visine in the galaxy, died asphyxiated as their life support systems failed. In the centuries that followed, the Simari were reluctant to event attempt to salvage some of the Leirkev's technology, many fearing that the ship's wreckage was cursed. However, the rising tensions between Simenalde's remaining sapient species eventually convinced the community of the necessity of rebuilding the Leirkev. Over the course of four thousand years, countless Simari worked tirelessly to restore the crown jewel of the Visine's Silera to its former glory, many helping in the Leirkev's reconstruction so as to redeem their species for the extermination of its creators. Once the Leirkev was finally declared fully functional once more, it was transported back to the Velphera system and turned into the unofficial headquarters of the Rista Nervea, its cargo holds transformed into docks for much of the Simari fleet. When the Eighth Rebirth broke out, the Leirkev's crew moved the ship back to dark space, along with the Rista Nervea's entire fleet. Historians believe that this decision effectively prevented an escalation of the conflict, isolating it to ground warfare on Simenalde's surface. Once the Eighth Rebirth came to an end, the Leirkev returned to the Velphera system. The Leirkev is powerful but difficult to maneuver. Its defenses are practically undefeatable, and some of the best of Simari technology has been installed in it over the past few millennia to ensure perfect efficiency. Dilvanu System Nezmenia, the Winter Blossom This frozen planet was the first outside of the Simari home system to be colonized by the Simari, over one hundred and eight thousand years ago. Even though it is almost completely deprived of plant life, its only moon is uninhabitable, and animal species are a rare sight, Nezmenia makes up for it with large reserves of mineral resources, with iridium and palladium as the most noteworthy. When the Simari-Norumian War escalated to biological and nuclear warfare, millions of Simari escaped to this planet. Now, thousands of years after the end of that conflict, Nezmenia is a thriving Simari colony. Due to how radically different Nezmenian climate is from Simenalde's, many of its five billion inhabitants have undergone profound genetic modifications, hoping make their daily lives on this frozen planet a bit more comfortable. Czernomilu System New Norumia, the Blue Pond of Grief Ninety-five percent of this planet's surface is covered by water, and what little dry land there is is not fertile and lacks any interesting mineral resources. Originally a Simari colony devoted to the study and genetic modification of undersea life forms, New Norumia was abandoned at the beginning of the Simari-Norumian War, and the remnants of Simari occupation were taken over by the Norumian military soon afterwards. At the end of the war, fearing that the Simari would exterminate the Norumians in retaliation for the nuclear holocaust inflicted upon the Durnen, millions of Norumian civilians were relocated to New Norumia, building several undersea cities. Four thousand years later, the Norumian population, now integrated into Simari culture, began to suffer the effects of their low fertility rates and genetic stagnation. Despite the Simari's best efforts to increase Norumian fertility, New Norumia's population began to decline at a staggering rate. By the time that Norumians in Simenalde were officially declared a species on the brink of extinction, New Norumia was deserted. Plans were made to repopulate New Norumia with genetically engineered Norumian clones, but it was ultimately decided that New Norumia's enviroment would never be appropiate for any sort of Norumians to thrive in, and the Simari themselves re-colonized it. These days, over three billion Simari live in the rebuilt Norumian undersea cities. Taking advantage of the planet's warm and rich submarine crust, a diverse local industry has prospered while the marine wild life draws more and more researchers to the colony. Liriena System Nertessia, the Sunkissed Goddess This large but arid planet had originally been deemed unsuitable for Simari colonization. Many were initially doubtful about allowing anyone to colonize a planet with little fertile land, a bit more gravity than most species would have been comfortable with, and a wildlife that consisted of small reptiles and colossal creatures that were extremely territorial. A particular group of families that belonged to the ancient clergy, however, were more than eager to visit this beautiful but harsh world, believing it to be a place spoken of in Durnen and Simari mythology. In a matter of months, thousands of Simari and a handful of Durnen had arrived to Nertessia and occupied the few areas with water and fertile land, bravely fending off the local fauna. When the Simari-Norumian War broke out, even more Simari and Durnen braved the dark void of space in search for the safety of the remote Nertessia. When the Durnen in Simenalde were exterminated by the Norumians, the Simari community heavily invested in infraestructure and genetic engineering to ensure the survival of the last few thousand Durnen in the galaxy, all of them living in Nertessia. Today, Nertessia is a sparsely populated world of less than ten thousand Durnen, who live in reserves and are expected to become extinct within the next four generations, and two hundred million Simari inhabitants. There is little activity on the planet other than xenopaleontology, quantum technology testing and manufacturing, and genetic research on local fauna. The planet is often used as a training facility for soldiers wishing to serve outside of the humid Simenalde. Vaderna System Sirimea, the Prince of Flowers and Mirrors This true Earth-sized garden world is not too different from Simenalde, which has made it an extremely popular destination for Simari colonists for thousands of years. While Sirimea's bacterial life is not nearly as prosperous as Simenalde's, the local flora and fauna sets quite the example in terms of complexity and evolutionary efficiency. The planet's thin atmosphere was originally a bit too rich in neon and carbon dioxide, and water supplies were small and sometimes heavily contaminated with arsenic. It took centuries of terraforming for Sirimea to be able to comfortably hold a stable Simari population, but once the process was complete millions of Simari poured into the rainforests and grasslands. Sirimea developed in almost the exact same fashion as Simenalde, which earned it the nickname of 'Simenalde's mirror', and soon became the foremost military base in Silera. During the Golden Empire's attempt to conquer Silera, the fleet stationed on Sirimea's orbit, unprepared for the Golden Empire's expertise in space warfare, suffered a staggering defeat, and the planet was occupied by the human forces for years before the siege of Simenalde was broken and the Simari unleashed a variety of tailor-made biological weapons upon their invaders. Nowadays, Sirimea is the most populated Simari planet other than Simenalde, with over eight billion inhabitants. Isolated areas of the planet are used for dangerous experiments, while the most populated regions are still heavily militarized . Nicarine System Uriena, the Heavenly Infant This temperate gas giant with no habitable moons is the only remaining planet in the Nicarine system, now that its star has reached its red giant phase. While it had originally been decided that the planet was not viable for any sort of colonization, the Simari community changed its mind when it was confirmed that Uriena held enormous amounts of helium-3, and that its four rings were rich in materials necessary for quantum technology. Only a few small stations were built at first, until a group of engineers proposed building an artificial moon that could sustain a larger population for a long period of time without the need for supplies from other colonies. The floating city of Orussa was built on the edge of Uriena's atmosphere, kept in place by an artificial gravitational singularity, and the construction of the proposed 'hollow moon' soon followed. The hollow moon took centuries to complete, and by the time it was finished, many Simari were no longer enthusiastic, seeing the endeavor as a waste of time, technology and resources. Despite this, as well as the warnings of many engineers that the gravitational singularity was too unstable and that the moon's outer shell was too fragile, three million Simari were quick to occupy the colony and begin extracting helium-3 from the planet. Fifty-seven years after the arrival of the first colonists, the fears of the engineers came true: the singularity that had sustained the hollow moon collapsed on itself, obliterating a large part of its surface and exposing the entire population to Uriena's argon-heavy atmosphere. Most of the colony's population perished in this incident, and all Simari citizens in the Nicarine system were evacuated while a task force of engineers launched a desperate operation to salvage the hollow moon before is crashed into the planet's rocky core. The efforts to rebuild what had been lost took two centuries, and by the time Orussa was finally declared open to civilian occupation again, the Simari community had deemed the 'Uriena experiment' a failure. Currently, only two million Simari live in a space designed to hold over ten million, and most Simari seeking to provide their community with helium-3 have looked elsewhere in the Simari colonies, with the Liriena system being the most prominent provider. Uriena's value is mostly symbolic now, with many prestigious families of the ancient clergy residing there, and the hollow moon has seen some militarization, now that it has become the unofficial capital of all Simari colonies in the Lukora cluster. Population 'Total Population 40.292.283.417 'By Species' Common Simari: 39.933.120.062 Humanized Simari: 188.521.355 Dark Simari: 39 Albino Simari: 594 Durnen: 8.923 Norumians: 2.420 Verusians: 5.101 Foreigners/Slaves: 10.624.923 'By Religion' Lumirianism: 38.011.152.631 Pantheism: '''1.425.712.554 '''Atheism: '''714.620.033 '''Simenaldian Paganism: 108.328.142 Foreign: 17.201.977 Others: 15.268.080 'By Language' New Visine: 40.049.186.206 Esperanto: 159.146.278 Others: 83.950.933 Economy Dominant Economic Activity: Genetic engineering Secondary DEA: Quantum-based technology The extreme altruism of Silera's official religion permeates all activities within its territory. Although the Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls under the rule of previous species did have an actual economy, with an official currency and profit-oriented enterprises, the Silera of today has neither of those things. Private property and enterprise exist in the Silera of these days, but there is no currency, and goods are not allocated any overall value. Products and services are freely provided to anyone needing or desiring them, with no requirement for compensation. Those tasks that require the labor of several individuals are performed by volunteers that respond to a request on the Golden Mist. There is a certain degree of enviromentalism in most enterprises, but only because any form of pollution is seen as irresponsible individualism. Some Simari do choose to live as information brokers and merchants, trading stolen records from other species or obsolete Simari products in exchange for valuable foreign works of art, samples for scientific research and slaves. Religion The Sacred Realm of Colorful Souls and its citizenry are zealously devoted to Lumirianism, the most ancient religion in Simenalde. Originally a monotheistic religion with pantheistic elements and a penchant for the arts, it was centered on the worship of the goddess Keryel, a white haired deity of unfathomable beauty and kindness, who built an imperfect Universe as an act of naïve motherly love. At some point in history, and for reasons yet unknown, Lumirian doctrine suffered a radical change, with several mythological texts speaking of Keryel's murder at the hands of her own children. From that point onwards, Lumirianism became a religion that worshipped 'Keryel's most loyal and beloved children', initially believed to mean Lumirian royalty, but later on interpretated as meaning all those who abided by Keryel's teachings, as it was heavily implied in the Starlit Lyrics. Thus, the worship of a mythological deity transformed itself into the self-worship of an entire civilization, occasionally involving parallel pantheons and a certain degree of shamanism. Simari believe themselves to be divine, blessed with the gifts needed for them to become true gods amongst mortals, and tasked with transforming our imperfect Universe into a paradise for all living creatures. Lumirianism is a very liberal and progressive religion, at least towards its own believers. Sexuality is regarded as a healthy trait rather than a shameful one, no artistic works or scientific findings are prohibited, and all sins committed can be forgiven, with no threats of eternal suffering in the afterlife. The Lumirian idea of an afterlife is quite simple: when our bodies perish, our souls live on eternally, fully conscious and able to travel through the Universe alongside our loved ones. Our sins only affect how 'complete' our souls will be when we perish, and the more wrongs we inflict upon our brothers and sisters, the more small and incomplete our souls will be. The most defining feature of Lumirianism is its altruism. Social harmony and unity are the two most fundamental values, and a Simari must always place the well-being of his brothers and sisters before his own. That being said, Lumirianism does endorse a certain form of slavery: a Simari can take non-Simari as property and employ them as concubines or housekeepers of sorts. The ownership of slaves is heavily regulated, and abusive owners are as rare as they are frowned upon. Simari are expected to educate their slaves, liberate them after ten years of service and give them several gifts as a gesture of gratitude. Lately, many slave owners have chosen to 'marry' their slaves, a course of action unheard of in the past, but also one that has met widespread commendation in the Simari community. The Starlit Lyrics do not expressly ban other religions, and religious minorities in Silera face no discrimination or persecution from any of the nation's religious or political institutions. That being said, non-Lumirian Simari are often marginalized by their peers, and a non-Lumirian sub-culture has been growing in size and influence in Simenalde's largest cities over the past few decades. Ideology Altruism and egalitarianism are core moral values in the eyes of Lumirianism, and it therefor goes without saying that they are also the most fundamental ideals behind Simari society. Individuals see the increased happiness of their fellow citizens as the only necessary incentive and reward for their work, although particularly generous individuals who become renowned within the community often receive gifts from citizens throughout Silera. Some degree of individualism does exist, but in a very limited form. Nowadays, Simari society seems torn between the idealism of pre-Golden Empire times and the cynicism permeating this current era, but the culture itself remains as one centered on empathy and family. Military The official armed forces of Silera are divided into two branches: the Rista Nervea, the Brave Feathers of the Void, who act as Silera's navy and leading space research group, and the Vira Mirena, the Children of Spring, who make up the bulk of the Simari military on land and sea. Despite many millennia of military history, neither the Rista Nervea nor the Vira Mirena have ever had a single, unified and permanent predominant method of military thinking. Strategies and tactics are decided based on every particular situation through the Golden Mist, and sometimes Simari military forces have completely changed their tactics mid-combat when the course of the battle has shifted. There are, however, some constants in Simari strategies and tactics. Those engaging the Simari on land should expect their foes to strike with biological warfare and genetically modified wild animals before actually being engaged by actual Simari forces. As for the Rista Nervea, attacks from the flanks, electronic warfare and heavy-handed use of quantum weaponry are the more common tactics used against the average enemy fleet. Category:Silera